Connection apparatus may be used in a variety of applications and industries. In one application, connection apparatus may be used to interconnect truss sections. Truss sections may be used in a variety of industries, including the entertainment industry, where they are used for the construction of truss structures for mounting lighting, cameras, displays, and speaker systems. Truss structures are commonly used in entertainment (and in particular concert) venues for this purpose.
Although some means are needed to secure lighting, sound, camera, and display equipment for concerts, not all entertainment venues are equipped with such means. Accordingly, in some cases truss sections are transported to the venue and a truss structure is assembled on site. Because renting of a venue is costly, it is desirable for truss structures to be assembled and disassembled quickly to minimize rental costs. Assembling such a truss structure can be large and complex job.
Truss structures are typically constructed by placing truss sections adjacent to one another and joining them together using connection apparatus. In order to form a single unitary whole, each truss section comprises means for connecting with other truss assemblies. For example, the connecting means may comprise a set of connection openings that may be aligned as between separate truss sections and through which connection hardware, such as pins or bolts, may be inserted to create firm connection points.
Truss sections are normally shipped out to venues from a central storage facility or possibly from a number of disparate storage facilities. Connection hardware must be present at the venue in order for the truss sections to be assembled.
Connection hardware and fasteners are quite small relative to the truss sections and as a result may be stored separately from the truss sections. Alternatively, the disassembler may choose to attach the connection hardware to individual truss sections for storage. However, there is no guarantee that the connection hardware is stored in a consistent manner such that truss sections that are delivered to a sit arrive with an appropriate amount of connection hardware. The lack of appropriate connection hardware may lead to delays and increase in the time required to assemble the truss structure.